Digital Interventions to Support Lung Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Lung cancer screening (LCS) using low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) reduces mortality but faces limited adoption in the U.S.
• Digital interventions offer a promising avenue to enhance LCS uptake and patient engagement.

Approach:

• A systematic review of 1,979 articles published between January 2014 and May 2023 was conducted.
• Studies were assessed for their impact on knowledge, decision-making, and screening behavior.
• Interventions included decision aids, electronic health record (EHR)-based tools, social media, and mobile applications.

Key Points:

• Decision aids were the most studied digital intervention, significantly improving knowledge and reducing decisional conflict.
• However, most digital interventions did not substantially increase LCS utilization.
• Fewer studies explored clinician-facing or multi-level interventions for LCS promotion.

Conclusions:

• Digital tools, especially decision aids, enhance patient knowledge and decision quality regarding LCS.
• Further research is essential to develop and test effective digital interventions that drive actual screening behavior.
• Evaluating implementation strategies in diverse settings is crucial for widespread LCS adoption.